Psychology

Psychology is the scientific study of human and animal behavior, which
includes both observable actions (such as eating and speaking) and mental
activities (such as remembering and imagining). Psychology tries to
understand why a person or animal behaves a certain way and then seeks to
predict how that person or animal will behave in the future. For many
years, psychology was a branch of philosophy (the study and exploration of
basic truths governing the universe, nature, life, and morals [a sense of
right and wrong]). In the nineteenth century, scientific findings
established it as a separate field of scientific study.

A brief history

In 1879, German physiologist Wilhelm Wundt (1832–1920) established
the first formal laboratory of psychology at the University of Leipzig in
Germany. Wundt's work separated thought into simpler processes such
as perception, sensation, emotion, and association. His approach looked at
the structure of thought and came to be known as structuralism.

In 1890, American philosopher William James (1842–1910) published
his
Principles of Psychology.
In contrast to structuralists, James thought consciousness (awareness)
flowed continuously and could not be separated into simpler elements.
James argued that studying the structure of the mind was not as important
as understanding how it functions in helping us adapt to our surroundings.
This approach became known as functionalism.

In the early 1900s, Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud (1856–1939)
began formulating psychoanalysis, which is both a theory of personality
and a method of treating people with psychological difficulties.
Freud's most influential contribution to psychology was his concept
of the unconscious. He believed a person's behavior is largely
determined by
thoughts, wishes, and memories of which they are unaware. Painful
childhood memories are pushed out of consciousness and become part of the
un
conscious. From here they can greatly influence behavior. As a method of
treatment, psychoanalysis strives to bring these memories to awareness,
freeing an individual from their often-negative influence.

In 1913, American psychologist John B. Watson (1878–1958) argued
that mental processes could not be reliably located or measured. He
believed that only observable, measurable behavior should be the focus of
psychology. His approach, known as behaviorism, held that all behavior
could be explained as a response to stimuli in the environment.
Behaviorists tend to focus on the environment and how it shapes behavior.

Words to Know

Behaviorism:
School of psychology focusing on the environment and how it shapes
behavior.

Cognitive psychology:
School of psychology that focuses on how people perceive, store, and
interpret information through such thought processes as memory,
language, and problem solving.

Functionalism:
School of psychology that focuses on the functions or adaptive purposes
of behavior.

Gestalt psychology:
School of psychology that focuses on perception and how the mind
actively organizes sensations.

Humanistic psychology:
School of psychology emphasizing individuals' uniqueness and
their capacity for growth.

Neuropsychology:
Study of the brain and nervous system and their role in behavior and
mental processes.

Psychoanalysis:
Theory of personality and method of psychotherapy founded by Sigmund
Freud.

At about the same time behaviorism arose, German psychologists Max
Wertheimer (1880–1943), Kurt Koffka (1886–1941), and
Wolfgang Köhler (1887–1967) founded Gestalt psychology
(German for "form" or "configuration").
Gestalt psychologists argued that perception and thought cannot be broken
into smaller pieces without losing their wholeness or essence. They argued
that people actively organize information and that
the wholeness and pattern of things dominates the way people perceive the
world.

In the 1960s, American psychologists Abraham Maslow (1908–1970) and
Carl Rogers (1902–1987) helped develop humanistic psychology. They
felt that past psychological approaches had focused more on human weakness
and mental illness. These previous approaches neglected mental strength
and the potential for self-fulfillment. Maslow and Rogers believed that
everyone has a basic need to achieve one's unique human potential.

Contemporary psychology

Much contemporary research has taken place in cognitive psychology. This
school of psychology focuses on how people perceive, store, and interpret
information, studying processes like memory, language, and problem
solving. Unlike behaviorists, cognitive psychologists believe it is
necessary to look at internal mental processes in order to understand
behavior.

Advances in the knowledge of brain and nerve cell chemistry in the late
twentieth century have influenced psychology tremendously. New
technologies, which have produced visual images of the human brain at
work, have allowed psychologists to study exactly where specific types of
mental processes occur. This emerging field has been labeled
neuropsychology or neuroscience.